Playing by the Rules
by dimplesgirl
Summary: What exactly is Rule 12?


Set in Early Season 3.

Sorry if I got any rules wrong. I wrote this mostly on memory.

Enjoy and Review.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Playing by the rules

"Rule Eight"

"Never take anything for granted." Ziva responded without missing a beat. Jenny smiled slightly as she continued to read over the report in front of her. The two women sat in Jenny's darkened office. It was far too late for either of them to be there, yet, somehow they were. Ziva had come to Jenny about an hour ago ranting about Gibbs and his rules and how they should be written down somewhere. Jenny had smiled, handed the younger woman a glass of vodka and announced she'd be more than happy to run over them with her. After all she was the expert on Gibbs and his rules. So there they sat; Jenny signing off on reports and Ziva naming the rules.

"God," Jenny groaned, squinting even with her glasses at the document below. "DiNozzo's handwriting is horrific."

Ziva chuckled. "Yes, I agree Tony has…" She paused looking for a nice way to describe Tony's writing. "..Stylish penmanship." Jenny shook her head and smiled. She allowed herself a moment to laugh with her friend before shifting back into work mode and selecting another folder from the pile crowding her desk.

"Rule Four." Jenny mumbled, marking something down with her pen.

"Best way to keep a secret is to keep it to your self. Second best is you tell one other person, third best is.." Ziva narrowed her eyes trying furiously to remember what third best was.

"There is not third best." Jenny said. Setting another report down, she continued. "Rule Nine."

"Always be prepared."

"Always carry a knife." Jenny corrected without even looking up. "Rule 18?"

"It is better to seek forgiveness than ask permission." Ziva smirked, knowing she'd got one that right.

"Rule 1?" Her voice hitched the tiniest bit as she asked this, her heart constricted. Not only had she screwed Jethro, but she'd screwed him over too.

"Never screw you're partner, over." Ziva responded confidently, missing the sadness in Jenny's tone completely.

"Good." Jenny almost choked on the word. "Rule 12?"

Ziva grinned widely. She defintely knew this one. DiNozzo had been trying to get her to break it from the moment she was assigned to Gibbs' team. "Never date a co-worker."

Jenny grinned. "There's no rule 12, Ziva. It was a trick question." Jenny laughed removing her glasses and moving to sit on the couch beside Ziva. ".But you should tell Gibbs that one, I think he might even adopt it." She grinned widely and shook her head.

"Jen, it is most defintely a rule. Gibbs told me so himself." Ziva stared at the older woman, confused by her amusement.

Jenny's smile dropped and all of a sudden her chest was tight, too tight. She couldn't breathe.

"Are you sure?" She whispered, looking down. Suddenly she was extremely grateful the lights were dim and that Ziva wouldn't see the unshed tears in her saddened eyes.

"Yes." Ziva replied. "Completely"

Jenny's voice trembled slightly. "Oh." Taking a deep breath she composed herself and looked up again. "I must have forgotten." She smiled weakly. "Ok, so rule 17?"

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"So," Jenny began as she navigated her way down the stairs to Gibbs' basement. "Ziva came to visit me tonight. She wanted to run over your rules." Gibbs turned smiling slightly. He took in her appearance, she was dressed in the same black slacks and white blouse as he'd seen her in at work, only now she'd loosened a couple more buttons than would be appropriate for the workplace and she'd untied her hair letting the long autumn locks curl at her shoulders. Theses simple changes making her appear relaxed and in Gibbs' opinion extremely sexy.

Gibbs dusted his hands off on his jeans and moved to meet her at the bottom of the staircase.

"Well," He grinned. "She defintely went to the right person. You were always the _expert_ on my rules Jen." His said seductively, his blue, blue eyes flirting with her green. Jenny blushed as Jethro made his comment. He'd always had the ability to make any of their convosations sound dirty. The two unconsciously took a step forward.

"Well, apparently not." She replied, her face hardening slightly as she remembered why she'd come here tonight.

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?" He asked coyly as he leant forward. His was voice teasing and sensual and altogether, would be considered a highly inappropriate way to talk to ones boss. Then again, lately, all his thoughts about his boss had been inappropriate.

Jenny blushed slightly, but her smile disappeared and sadness crept into her emerald eyes. Gibbs picked up on the difference immediately. "When I was on your team," She said softly. "There was no rule twelve." She looked him dead in the eye and Gibbs stepped back a little. He hadn't expected her to find out. He hadn't wanted her to find out.

"No," He agreed, turning his back to her and heading toward the bourbon on his work bench. The flirtatious atmosphere from before was completely obliterated as old feelings of anger and regret surfaced. "There wasn't."

"And now, it's never date a co-worker." Gibbs' silence was all she needed as confirmation. "When did it start being a rule?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Six years ago." He replied not bothering to turn and see if she'd figured it out. If he'd hurt her.

"I'm the reason for that rule, aren't I?"

Gibbs turned to her unashamed. "Yes." He replied bluntly, for some reason wanting to hurt her. Hurt her like she hurt him. His ice blue eyes were hard now, almost cruel.

Jenny gulped hoping to stop the tears that shone in her eyes from falling.

"Okay." She said softly, turning to leave.

Gibbs shook his head debating whether he should try to explain. "Jen?" He called after her watching as she spun on her heel to face him. "I, it's just a rule. I didn't want to see my team get hurt."

Jenny smiled sadly. "Hurt, like I hurt you?" Their eyes locked blue on green. By this time she was sure he could see her tears. Once again his silence was enough to confirm what she'd asked.

Gibbs opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"I understand, Jethro." She nodded as a tear trickled down her cheeks. "You don't have explain." Wiping the tear from her cheek she forced a smile. "Besides, after Tony and Ziva's undercover mission, it's probably a good rule." She tried to lighten the mood.

"Yeah." Was all Gibbs could think of as a response.

"Well," Jenny sighed feigning another smile. "I better get going. It's late."

"You could stay, if you wanted?" Gibbs offered quietly. He suddenly regretted being so harsh.

"No." She replied softy. "I don't think I can. But thanks anyway."

"Do you need me to drive you home?" He asked guiltily. Trying to find any reason to spend a little more time with her and explain that he barely made it through after their break-up and that he'd made the rule, to protect this team from falling too deeply in love, not because he hated her.

"Goodnight, Jethro." She smiled kindly, another tear escaping down her cheek as she turned and continued up the wobbling stairs. It wasn't until he heard his front door click shut that he responded.

"Goodnight, Jen."

End.

Ok, so there you go. Please review it's the only way I can get better at this. Xx


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